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Magic Born #1
Trancehack
It’s 2065. Those born with magic abilities live in government-run zones, without rights or freedoms. Fear of magic created this segregated world and fear keeps it intact.
A high-profile murder brings Detective Nathan Perez to Magic Born Zone 13. He’s had little experience with the Magic Born and isn’t sure what to expect during his first encounter with a witch, but he never thought he’d be so drawn to her.
Trancehacker Calla Vesper uses magic to break into computers and aid the Magic Born underground. She has no interest in helping a cop, even if he is smoking-hot, but money’s tight and Nate offers a tidy amount for help navigating the Zone. Calla’s determined to keep it all business, but sparks start flying before the investigation even gets started.
When Calla’s trancehacking and Nathan’s investigation uncover a conspiracy, Calla becomes a target. Nate can protect her by keeping her role a secret—but then who will protect Nate?
89,000 words
A high-profile murder brings Detective Nathan Perez to Magic Born Zone 13. He’s had little experience with the Magic Born and isn’t sure what to expect during his first encounter with a witch, but he never thought he’d be so drawn to her.
Trancehacker Calla Vesper uses magic to break into computers and aid the Magic Born underground. She has no interest in helping a cop, even if he is smoking-hot, but money’s tight and Nate offers a tidy amount for help navigating the Zone. Calla’s determined to keep it all business, but sparks start flying before the investigation even gets started.
When Calla’s trancehacking and Nathan’s investigation uncover a conspiracy, Calla becomes a target. Nate can protect her by keeping her role a secret—but then who will protect Nate?
89,000 words
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2013
5 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Sonya Clark
23 books52 followersSonya Clark discovered she was a writer at the age of thirteen. Ray Bradbury whispered it to her through the pages of his books. The Vampire Lestat encouraged this lunacy in florid fashion, and Pennywise the Clown muttered dire warnings of what would happen should she neglect her calling. It took many years – many, like, a lot, yo – for her to figure out how to actually finish a manuscript. Once she unlocked that mystery, there was no turning back.
Sonya writes a few different flavors of romance – paranormal, sci-fi, and contemporary. She loves music, has a weird thing for the abstract art of Wassily Kandinsky, and a long-standing obsession with Robert Johnson that will one day result in a blues-themed novel. She lives with her husband and daughter in Tennessee.
Sonya writes a few different flavors of romance – paranormal, sci-fi, and contemporary. She loves music, has a weird thing for the abstract art of Wassily Kandinsky, and a long-standing obsession with Robert Johnson that will one day result in a blues-themed novel. She lives with her husband and daughter in Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 7, 2013
The best thing about this novel is the amount of potential it has: in its world-building and therefore in its plot. Unfortunately it's mostly potential, rather than the actual story. You get an interesting tale, than never gets gripping. You have a cool magic, that sounds weird and clanky. You have a potential drama, that gets watered down by melodrama.
Both hero and heroine are interesting and I think well rounded (or rounded enough). But I could never really connect with them or the "danger" they were facing, as witnessed by the amount of time I took to read this book. (I usually take a day or two max). Let's say I was happy to read other books in the mean time :)
I'm not sure but I think one of the reason the book "fails" is that it should have been focused on the mystery. Maybe as a thriller UF (or a full romance UF) it would have been rock solid. As a n hybrid you get neither and stuck in the middle: not interesting enough as either.
I loved the idea, the dark future, the Underground, the magic and the normals. I was less enthused with the reality I got. But it's still a book you might want to give the old college try.
Purely personal and silly note. Is it the book world overcome by army brats? It seems so many authors declare themselves such that it gets almost unreal :D
Both hero and heroine are interesting and I think well rounded (or rounded enough). But I could never really connect with them or the "danger" they were facing, as witnessed by the amount of time I took to read this book. (I usually take a day or two max). Let's say I was happy to read other books in the mean time :)
I'm not sure but I think one of the reason the book "fails" is that it should have been focused on the mystery. Maybe as a thriller UF (or a full romance UF) it would have been rock solid. As a n hybrid you get neither and stuck in the middle: not interesting enough as either.
I loved the idea, the dark future, the Underground, the magic and the normals. I was less enthused with the reality I got. But it's still a book you might want to give the old college try.
Purely personal and silly note. Is it the book world overcome by army brats? It seems so many authors declare themselves such that it gets almost unreal :D
November 3, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
Intrigued but not entirely sure what to expect from TRANCEHACK, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the end of it. A mixture of genres- urban fantasy, crime drama, romance and with a bit of a dystopian government thrown in- TRANCEHACK is a bit hard to explain, but a very captivating read. While I had some minor issues with the book, it was easy to read, very original, and kept my attention the entire time I was reading it.
TRANCEHACK read to me almost like a season’s worth of drama on a TV show. I really liked the detective solving a case aspect, with one overarching mystery to keep Nate occupied the entire book. There were offhand remarks made about his other work, but the main mystery- who killed Dr. Forbes- keeps him occupied, even when his boss says the case is resolved. Plus, the magical computer hacking is an unusual and fascinating blend of technology and magic, and I loved that aspect of it, and especially that it was Calla who had those skills. The marriage of the typical woman role (witch) with a typical male role (hacker) in a main character was really well done, in my opinion. And watching Nate and Calla’s relationship develop, from the rather antagonistic banter to the tentative flirting, to full on intimacy, was very satisfying. Don’t be fooled by the mystery aspect; the relationship plotline is given nearly as much page time, if not more, than the crime-solving.
The hints Clark drops in about the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world in this society she’s created are fascinating. It is always interesting to me to consider the implications of a magical coming out and how different cultures of the world would react. In TRANCEHACK, the US is definitely not portrayed as welcoming to those with magic, and instead doesn’t allow them citizenship, makes them live in special zones, and has all kinds of laws about what they are and are not allowed to do. This leads to the creation of an “underground railroad” that Calla is involved with, along with all kinds of obstacles to her and Nate’s relationship. The whole world could have been a bit more fleshed out, but overall, there was enough detail so that I didn’t get confused or feel lost, and what was explained was interesting and whetted my appetite for more.
TRANCEHACK didn’t conclude in a way I would expect and the mystery tied up a little too neatly , but with the “happily for now” ending for Nate and Calla, I’m interested to see where the next Magic Born book takes us. With multiple side characters who are touched on enough to make me want to know more about them, there is plenty of opportunity for more romantic relationships, or for Calla and Nate’s relationship to develop. This is one world I’d like to revisit, so hopefully we won’t be waiting too long for the sequel!
Sexual content: Several slightly graphic sex scenes
Intrigued but not entirely sure what to expect from TRANCEHACK, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the end of it. A mixture of genres- urban fantasy, crime drama, romance and with a bit of a dystopian government thrown in- TRANCEHACK is a bit hard to explain, but a very captivating read. While I had some minor issues with the book, it was easy to read, very original, and kept my attention the entire time I was reading it.
TRANCEHACK read to me almost like a season’s worth of drama on a TV show. I really liked the detective solving a case aspect, with one overarching mystery to keep Nate occupied the entire book. There were offhand remarks made about his other work, but the main mystery- who killed Dr. Forbes- keeps him occupied, even when his boss says the case is resolved. Plus, the magical computer hacking is an unusual and fascinating blend of technology and magic, and I loved that aspect of it, and especially that it was Calla who had those skills. The marriage of the typical woman role (witch) with a typical male role (hacker) in a main character was really well done, in my opinion. And watching Nate and Calla’s relationship develop, from the rather antagonistic banter to the tentative flirting, to full on intimacy, was very satisfying. Don’t be fooled by the mystery aspect; the relationship plotline is given nearly as much page time, if not more, than the crime-solving.
The hints Clark drops in about the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world in this society she’s created are fascinating. It is always interesting to me to consider the implications of a magical coming out and how different cultures of the world would react. In TRANCEHACK, the US is definitely not portrayed as welcoming to those with magic, and instead doesn’t allow them citizenship, makes them live in special zones, and has all kinds of laws about what they are and are not allowed to do. This leads to the creation of an “underground railroad” that Calla is involved with, along with all kinds of obstacles to her and Nate’s relationship. The whole world could have been a bit more fleshed out, but overall, there was enough detail so that I didn’t get confused or feel lost, and what was explained was interesting and whetted my appetite for more.
TRANCEHACK didn’t conclude in a way I would expect and the mystery tied up a little too neatly , but with the “happily for now” ending for Nate and Calla, I’m interested to see where the next Magic Born book takes us. With multiple side characters who are touched on enough to make me want to know more about them, there is plenty of opportunity for more romantic relationships, or for Calla and Nate’s relationship to develop. This is one world I’d like to revisit, so hopefully we won’t be waiting too long for the sequel!
Sexual content: Several slightly graphic sex scenes
October 29, 2013
This book had potential. Set a bit into the future where those magic born are segregated, not trusted and shunned by the humans. Many times if “normals” have a magic baby, the baby is taken and grows up with no record of who its birth parents are. I like this concept. The heroine is magic born. She is feisty and a witch and can hack into data. I should have been in love. Alas. While the world is set up along with a mysterious death, it’s then not really explored. It’s boring and just kind of falls apart.
Nathan who is a human and a detective comes across geeky and nerdy but then when you learn he is this big, muscle-bound guy it was hard for me to get the geeky image out of my head. In my mind he was kind of beta and I wanted him to have some geeky love. But I guess he is a big guy and while he does find love, the chemistry is a little rusty.
Not to say I hated the book. I kept reading hoping to be excited or blown away by a plot twist or some kind of action but that was hard to find. I liked the hero and heroine – I just needed more from the world and from the overall story to keep me interested.
Rating: C-
Nathan who is a human and a detective comes across geeky and nerdy but then when you learn he is this big, muscle-bound guy it was hard for me to get the geeky image out of my head. In my mind he was kind of beta and I wanted him to have some geeky love. But I guess he is a big guy and while he does find love, the chemistry is a little rusty.
Not to say I hated the book. I kept reading hoping to be excited or blown away by a plot twist or some kind of action but that was hard to find. I liked the hero and heroine – I just needed more from the world and from the overall story to keep me interested.
Rating: C-
October 22, 2013
I had so much fun reading this book, I really did. I liked the rather grim view of the future it gave. Yes, I know that seems weird, but sometimes you get tired of seeing either a utopia future (a la Star Trek in some ways) or a dystopia (a la Hunger Games). This was neither. There wasn't a grand class of overlords and the vast majority are impoverished and living a sucky life. Yes, there was definitely an underclass of citizens, but it also wasn't something that had enveloped the entire world. In fact, the classification/tracking/discrimination against magic-born seems to have been primarily something in the United States, who is now paying a rather high price (the UN's been moved, there are trade restrictions, etc.).
The story itself was great. Calla's tough, yet not over-the-top kick-butt tough. She's had pretty miserable time of it, having been taken away from her parents at birth because she was tested and found to have magic in her DNA. Because of her gifts (she's able to hack into the internet using magic, which is pretty danged awesome to my mind) if she can find an access point (which doesn't really exist in the Magic Zones, aka FreakTown for Magic Zone 13), so she has to go off the grid), she's been able to find out who her parents were and that they had another, this time non-magical, child and had essentially wiped any trace of her existence off the face of the earth (save for a secured file in a government computer system).
Nathan's not had an absolutely perfect life either, but he's had it better than Calla. He's not magical and has had limited interaction with those who are because there were no Zones in the area he grew up in. When he went abroad in the military, the foreign countries he visited didn't have nearly the regulations against the magical types.
They find themselves (Calla VERY reluctantly) thrown together when a strange murder happens on Nathan's watch. THe first DNA test turned up an unregistered magic born (which isn't supposed to be possible, given DNA testing at birth), but subsequent ones show up with different results. The story follows Nathan's quest for the truth, even as it turns out some very powerful people do not want the truth getting out.
I guessed correctly on part of the solution to the mystery, but was pleasantly surprised by the rest of it. Obviously I can't tell you which parts were which, but it's a great ride. The hard look at the possibility of discrimination for non-racial reasons fascinated me to. I can all too easily imagine such a classification/discriminatory system being put in place. Heck, we have real examples of it (though South Africa was based on skin-color/race) and plenty of fictional examples (X-Men, anyone?).
All in all, I'm really happy I read this book. A 5-star rating from me. Thanks Carina Press and thanks Ms. Clark!
Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself was great. Calla's tough, yet not over-the-top kick-butt tough. She's had pretty miserable time of it, having been taken away from her parents at birth because she was tested and found to have magic in her DNA. Because of her gifts (she's able to hack into the internet using magic, which is pretty danged awesome to my mind) if she can find an access point (which doesn't really exist in the Magic Zones, aka FreakTown for Magic Zone 13), so she has to go off the grid), she's been able to find out who her parents were and that they had another, this time non-magical, child and had essentially wiped any trace of her existence off the face of the earth (save for a secured file in a government computer system).
Nathan's not had an absolutely perfect life either, but he's had it better than Calla. He's not magical and has had limited interaction with those who are because there were no Zones in the area he grew up in. When he went abroad in the military, the foreign countries he visited didn't have nearly the regulations against the magical types.
They find themselves (Calla VERY reluctantly) thrown together when a strange murder happens on Nathan's watch. THe first DNA test turned up an unregistered magic born (which isn't supposed to be possible, given DNA testing at birth), but subsequent ones show up with different results. The story follows Nathan's quest for the truth, even as it turns out some very powerful people do not want the truth getting out.
I guessed correctly on part of the solution to the mystery, but was pleasantly surprised by the rest of it. Obviously I can't tell you which parts were which, but it's a great ride. The hard look at the possibility of discrimination for non-racial reasons fascinated me to. I can all too easily imagine such a classification/discriminatory system being put in place. Heck, we have real examples of it (though South Africa was based on skin-color/race) and plenty of fictional examples (X-Men, anyone?).
All in all, I'm really happy I read this book. A 5-star rating from me. Thanks Carina Press and thanks Ms. Clark!
Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2013
Trancehack introduces readers to a dark and intriguing paranormal world, and as paranormal romance, it works. However, underneath the paranormal overlay, this book also ends up being something of a police procedural at heart - and it's not half bad at that either.
Set in a future United States, Clark envisions a world in which those with magical powers live under laws which force them to live in urban ghettos and which limit their ability to marry, to move outside their "zones", to hold certain types of jobs, and so on. They must inhabit a distinct underclass in American society and most people steer clear of them. Calla Vesper, a witch, makes her living creating jewelry and cultivating other, more secret, skills in her zone.
Calla's world collides with that of the Normals one day when Detective Nathan Perez starts making inquiries in the zone. A powerful doctor has been killed and his death appears linked with the zone and with drugs known to be manufactured there in various forms. Since this doctor had been responsible for separating magic-born children from their families and sequestering them in zones, Calla and her neighbors don't exactly mourn his passing and they are deeply suspicious of a Normal poking around their neighborhood and asking questions.
Things between Calla and Nathan start off slowly and believably. Calla does not trust the Normal world and Nathan truly does not understand the magical one. It's Nathan's willingness to admit he does not understand this other culture that not only moves the story forward but also makes Nathan much more approachable and likable as a character. Nathan wants to solve the crime and he knows that he needs help from Calla in order to navigate the world he investigates. She doesn't exactly welcome him with open arms, but grudging tolerance turns to reluctant respect and keeps moving into warmer realms.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
Set in a future United States, Clark envisions a world in which those with magical powers live under laws which force them to live in urban ghettos and which limit their ability to marry, to move outside their "zones", to hold certain types of jobs, and so on. They must inhabit a distinct underclass in American society and most people steer clear of them. Calla Vesper, a witch, makes her living creating jewelry and cultivating other, more secret, skills in her zone.
Calla's world collides with that of the Normals one day when Detective Nathan Perez starts making inquiries in the zone. A powerful doctor has been killed and his death appears linked with the zone and with drugs known to be manufactured there in various forms. Since this doctor had been responsible for separating magic-born children from their families and sequestering them in zones, Calla and her neighbors don't exactly mourn his passing and they are deeply suspicious of a Normal poking around their neighborhood and asking questions.
Things between Calla and Nathan start off slowly and believably. Calla does not trust the Normal world and Nathan truly does not understand the magical one. It's Nathan's willingness to admit he does not understand this other culture that not only moves the story forward but also makes Nathan much more approachable and likable as a character. Nathan wants to solve the crime and he knows that he needs help from Calla in order to navigate the world he investigates. She doesn't exactly welcome him with open arms, but grudging tolerance turns to reluctant respect and keeps moving into warmer realms.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
October 26, 2013
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy after beta-reading the first few chapters.
The book is a little harder to review than it was to read. Ms. Clark has either invented a whole new genre, or managed to weave cyberpunk, urban fantasy, murder mysteries, political thrillers, and romance into a new kind of cloth.
Some people are born with the ability for magic, and the government has kept it a secret for years. The revelation, and the resulting hysteria, has had profound impacts on a nation already tilting toward becoming a surveillance state. As always, it's the unintended consequences that matter: the Magic Born are forced into walled ghettos, babies whose DNA indicate magical ability are torn from their parents and dumped in the ghettos, and those human rights violations have cost the US much of its standing in the world.
In this dystopian world, a cop is assigned to investigate the murder of a medical researcher who was instrumental in detecting that knack for magic. The trail leads him to Calla Vesper, a Magic Born with an attitude. Sparks fly, the cop asks Calla to help him navigate Freaktown (aka the "zone" or the ghetto), and things take off quickly. There were no "draggy" spots, and Trancehack easily rivals the work of more seasoned writers.
I was a little put off by the whole "his rippling muscles" thing (no, Ms. Clark doesn't actually say that, but you know what I mean, I'm a guy), but the sex scenes were worth it. There was a plot twist that could have been obvious—and I saw it coming, but it came from a different direction, so that was pretty well done. The biggest twist of all, I only guessed at. My favorite parts were the trancehacking that gave the book its name, and I wish there had been more of that.
Overall, this story worked, and it rocked. What is Calla going to do for an encore?
The book is a little harder to review than it was to read. Ms. Clark has either invented a whole new genre, or managed to weave cyberpunk, urban fantasy, murder mysteries, political thrillers, and romance into a new kind of cloth.
Some people are born with the ability for magic, and the government has kept it a secret for years. The revelation, and the resulting hysteria, has had profound impacts on a nation already tilting toward becoming a surveillance state. As always, it's the unintended consequences that matter: the Magic Born are forced into walled ghettos, babies whose DNA indicate magical ability are torn from their parents and dumped in the ghettos, and those human rights violations have cost the US much of its standing in the world.
In this dystopian world, a cop is assigned to investigate the murder of a medical researcher who was instrumental in detecting that knack for magic. The trail leads him to Calla Vesper, a Magic Born with an attitude. Sparks fly, the cop asks Calla to help him navigate Freaktown (aka the "zone" or the ghetto), and things take off quickly. There were no "draggy" spots, and Trancehack easily rivals the work of more seasoned writers.
I was a little put off by the whole "his rippling muscles" thing (no, Ms. Clark doesn't actually say that, but you know what I mean, I'm a guy), but the sex scenes were worth it. There was a plot twist that could have been obvious—and I saw it coming, but it came from a different direction, so that was pretty well done. The biggest twist of all, I only guessed at. My favorite parts were the trancehacking that gave the book its name, and I wish there had been more of that.
Overall, this story worked, and it rocked. What is Calla going to do for an encore?
December 30, 2013
Sucked in from the word ‘Go’.
Magic Born are segregated in Zones, Normal’s have the run of the best of the country. A DNA test at birth determines which side of the wire you live on and whether you grow up in a family or in an orphanage.
This book just accentuates what I dislike about the human race and being afraid of what you don’t understand. Personally, I see magic as a great gift, if you have the power and responsibility to wield it. I think that’s one of the reasons I love paranormal books so much. The ideas resonate with me and let me escape into a world where the ‘abnormal’ and ‘unacceptable’ are actually accepted and considered normal.
In saying that, there is only one who accepts the weird and strange in this book - our hero, Nate. From the moment he meets Calla, he wants her. Wants to know her and wants to understand what’s different about the Magic Born people. He’s the one Normal who accepts them all for they are and isn’t afraid of what they can do. He’s fascinated and just wants to learn more. However, being thrown into the Zone on a murder investigation, of course, is not going to make him any friends in a hurry. However, he does manage to enlist the guidance of Calla, for a price.
Sonya Clark tells a wonderful story and I will certainly be seeking out more of her books in the future. Although I had to take timeout from reading to attend to kids and cupcakes, I would’ve been quite content to sit and read without unnecessary breaks!!
Magic Born are segregated in Zones, Normal’s have the run of the best of the country. A DNA test at birth determines which side of the wire you live on and whether you grow up in a family or in an orphanage.
This book just accentuates what I dislike about the human race and being afraid of what you don’t understand. Personally, I see magic as a great gift, if you have the power and responsibility to wield it. I think that’s one of the reasons I love paranormal books so much. The ideas resonate with me and let me escape into a world where the ‘abnormal’ and ‘unacceptable’ are actually accepted and considered normal.
In saying that, there is only one who accepts the weird and strange in this book - our hero, Nate. From the moment he meets Calla, he wants her. Wants to know her and wants to understand what’s different about the Magic Born people. He’s the one Normal who accepts them all for they are and isn’t afraid of what they can do. He’s fascinated and just wants to learn more. However, being thrown into the Zone on a murder investigation, of course, is not going to make him any friends in a hurry. However, he does manage to enlist the guidance of Calla, for a price.
Sonya Clark tells a wonderful story and I will certainly be seeking out more of her books in the future. Although I had to take timeout from reading to attend to kids and cupcakes, I would’ve been quite content to sit and read without unnecessary breaks!!
Want to read
April 14, 201514 April 2015: $0.99 on Kindle
October 18, 2020
Trancehack is the first book in a trilogy, however the events in this book are concluded within the same book. The main characters, Calla and Nate, were well written, dynamic characters. Nate, a cop who was new to the area near a magic reservation, was involved in a murder cover-up. He learns of his country’s abuse of any of those who are magic born, such as Calla. The story ends with a happily ever after, but I wonder if it’s really a happy-for-now. The stumbling blocks to their relationship are so large, so real, and so permanent, I wonder if they really will be able to overcome them. Certainly they have agreed to try. To read the next book in the series called Witchlight. It features secondary characters from the Trancehack. I really want to see how Calla and Nate are doing. I recommend the book Trancehack.
May 8, 2017
I couldn't decide if this was going to be a fantasy, romance, or suspenseful read. I ended up with something in the middle, but fell short of a completely well rounded story. The characters were decently written and the plot was okay, though it dragged at times. I was expecting more oomph to the climax than I got, but for a series starter Trancehack wasn't too bad of a read. I'm curious if the next book will be better focused.
October 17, 2018
First time reader of this author and now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative series. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
April 15, 2019
Trancehack could have been a really, interesting story as the Clark built was really interesting.
Instead, it was reduced a bad romance novel with a boring male lead who much too piney for anyone's liking.
Instead, it was reduced a bad romance novel with a boring male lead who much too piney for anyone's liking.
March 5, 2018
This was fluff smut. Candy if you like inaccurate cybersmut quasi-YA fiction....with some magic that didn’t make sense. Eh.
November 17, 2013
Originally published at Reading Reality
I fell in love with the world created by Sonya Clark in Trancehack to the point where I’m having a difficult time reviewing it because of the sheer number of resonance images it carried for me. Clark’s imagery of the magic users’ ghetto, or FreakTown, borrowed from so many awesome stories and historical settings, even some she didn’t intend, AND added a sweet and white-hot love story like a cherry on top.
Okay, what is this thing, anyway? We have a dystopian society that it turns out human beings mostly made instead of an apocalypse raining down from above.
Even more screwed up, somehow “magic born” started springing up in the population, and then getting segregated into ghettos by mandatory DNA testing. Half a century later, you get the world of Trancehack.
They really are using magic, no joke. Lighting fires, playing with electricity, healing, and some other very interesting talents. But the dystopia comes from the reaction to the people who use the magic.
Religious zealots in the US are the ones who created the anti-magic laws and the ghettos. And guess what? The US became such fanatics that other countries decided not to have much to do with us after that. Even more interesting, US students who studied abroad stopped coming back, so they clamped down on US students studying abroad.
Repressive society much?
It gets worse. All children get tested for the magic DNA. Any found with the gene are automatically taken away from their parents and their records expunged. There is no appeal. Think of what that does not just to the infants who are abandoned inside the magic zones, but also to the young couples who live in fear of having babies with magic and seeing them taken away.
The cost to society as a whole.
Now we have a story. Nathan Perez is a cop who knows he’s a potential scapegoat. An unregistered magic user has just murdered a prominent research physician. There are three very interesting facts about the late Dr. Forbes: 1) he was researching the production of the illegal street drug Nightshade, 2) he was infamous for being responsible for the testing that removed magic-born infants from their parents and 3) he was best-friends with influential Senator John Beckwith, who wants the man’s murder handled quickly and quietly. Oh, and there is no such thing as an unregistered magic-born, so all the crime scene tests must be mistaken.
At least until all the people involved with ever having seen or heard of those “mistaken” tests start turning up dead.
Escape Rating A: It’s the worldbuilding that made Trancehack so much of a pleasure for me. I kept hearing the echo of Katherine Kurtz’ ancient Deryni crying that “the humans kill what they do not understand” because part of that felt right. The non-Magic Born were afraid of the Magic Born power, so they hemmed it in and legislated it out of sight. They feared what they couldn’t understand so they attempted to control it.
It also reminded me very much of the Mage Towers (for that read Mage Prisons) in Dragon Age: Origins video game world. Again, a world where magic power is feared so much that mages are locked away, in that world by an omnipotent church that takes magic-using children from their parents.
There is also an intentional parallel to the Underground Railroad of U.S history. The Magic-Born may not be slaves, but the restrictions under which they live are designed to make them feel less than human.
Calla Vesper embodies a lot of the conditions under which the Magic-Born live. Not just by being Magic-Born, but by knowing who her birth parents were. She has created someone different, but she is able to visualize exactly what might have been, and so can we.
Nate and Calla’s relationship smacks of Romeo and Juliet, but they are both adults and well aware of the potential consequences. They see the doom going in, they just choose to ignore it for awhile. When doom catches up, they keep running.
And we have the “good cop investigating corrupt society” case in this mix too. Clark keeps a surprising number of plates spinning in the air, and does it in a way that kept this reader enthralled from beginning to end.
Must be magic.
I fell in love with the world created by Sonya Clark in Trancehack to the point where I’m having a difficult time reviewing it because of the sheer number of resonance images it carried for me. Clark’s imagery of the magic users’ ghetto, or FreakTown, borrowed from so many awesome stories and historical settings, even some she didn’t intend, AND added a sweet and white-hot love story like a cherry on top.
Okay, what is this thing, anyway? We have a dystopian society that it turns out human beings mostly made instead of an apocalypse raining down from above.
Even more screwed up, somehow “magic born” started springing up in the population, and then getting segregated into ghettos by mandatory DNA testing. Half a century later, you get the world of Trancehack.
They really are using magic, no joke. Lighting fires, playing with electricity, healing, and some other very interesting talents. But the dystopia comes from the reaction to the people who use the magic.
Religious zealots in the US are the ones who created the anti-magic laws and the ghettos. And guess what? The US became such fanatics that other countries decided not to have much to do with us after that. Even more interesting, US students who studied abroad stopped coming back, so they clamped down on US students studying abroad.
Repressive society much?
It gets worse. All children get tested for the magic DNA. Any found with the gene are automatically taken away from their parents and their records expunged. There is no appeal. Think of what that does not just to the infants who are abandoned inside the magic zones, but also to the young couples who live in fear of having babies with magic and seeing them taken away.
The cost to society as a whole.
Now we have a story. Nathan Perez is a cop who knows he’s a potential scapegoat. An unregistered magic user has just murdered a prominent research physician. There are three very interesting facts about the late Dr. Forbes: 1) he was researching the production of the illegal street drug Nightshade, 2) he was infamous for being responsible for the testing that removed magic-born infants from their parents and 3) he was best-friends with influential Senator John Beckwith, who wants the man’s murder handled quickly and quietly. Oh, and there is no such thing as an unregistered magic-born, so all the crime scene tests must be mistaken.
At least until all the people involved with ever having seen or heard of those “mistaken” tests start turning up dead.
Escape Rating A: It’s the worldbuilding that made Trancehack so much of a pleasure for me. I kept hearing the echo of Katherine Kurtz’ ancient Deryni crying that “the humans kill what they do not understand” because part of that felt right. The non-Magic Born were afraid of the Magic Born power, so they hemmed it in and legislated it out of sight. They feared what they couldn’t understand so they attempted to control it.
It also reminded me very much of the Mage Towers (for that read Mage Prisons) in Dragon Age: Origins video game world. Again, a world where magic power is feared so much that mages are locked away, in that world by an omnipotent church that takes magic-using children from their parents.
There is also an intentional parallel to the Underground Railroad of U.S history. The Magic-Born may not be slaves, but the restrictions under which they live are designed to make them feel less than human.
Calla Vesper embodies a lot of the conditions under which the Magic-Born live. Not just by being Magic-Born, but by knowing who her birth parents were. She has created someone different, but she is able to visualize exactly what might have been, and so can we.
Nate and Calla’s relationship smacks of Romeo and Juliet, but they are both adults and well aware of the potential consequences. They see the doom going in, they just choose to ignore it for awhile. When doom catches up, they keep running.
And we have the “good cop investigating corrupt society” case in this mix too. Clark keeps a surprising number of plates spinning in the air, and does it in a way that kept this reader enthralled from beginning to end.
Must be magic.
November 3, 2013
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/10/30/...
As I was reading this month’s Dear Reader letter in the front of every Carina Press book, I came across Angela James’ description for this book and was immediately hooked. The different world that sounded so unique was enough to pull me in and send me to NetGalley, looking for this book.
Calla has unique magical abilities: she can manipulate any kind of technology. It’s the kind of skill that will make her an outcast among her fellow witches, so she keeps it as secret as possible. When Normal Detective Perez comes snooping around the zone looking for information on a murder, Calla finds herself drawn to him – in ways she never imagined she would feel about a non Magic-born.
Nate is new to the city and the zone. Being put on a murder investigation that is all kinds of screwed up is stressful. Having to go into the zone to search for clues is even more so, until he meets Calla. Nate doesn’t care about magic or not, and although he needs Calla’s help to solve the murder, he is also captivated by her. But as the secrets of the investigation unfold, a conspiracy involving Calla, a Senator, and an innocent man will come crashing down around them.
Let me just start by saying this book has one of the coolest worlds I’ve ever read in paranormal romance. I love the fact that the world is totally screwed up, that the “normal” humans have rounded up all of those with magical abilities and thrown them into urban slums, gating them off and treating them like cattle. They have extra laws they have to live by, are stripped of their basic rights, and are forced to live as sub-humans. I hope that this will continue as a series, and at the end of it, the witches have their own uprising! :)
For me, there was a lot of really awesome world-building in this book, but the romance fell horribly flat. I never really felt the connection between Nate and Calla. Other than some sex, these two didn’t really seem to have any chemistry. Calla was constantly fretting over the fact that Nate was normal and they wouldn’t be able to have a future. She let it interfere with everything, and because of it I never really felt like she took the time to get to know or care about Nate as a man. Likewise, Nate was so wrapped up in solving the case and convincing Calla that they could find a way to be together, there wasn’t time for anything else. I felt like they never really wholly committed to each other, instead they just kind of settled for what it was.
As individual characters, I like Nate and Calla. I thought they both had a lot of promise. I liked finding out about the work that Calla was putting in to help magic-born and normals alike get out from underneath the stringent and oppressive laws. I wish that aspect of the world would have been explored more, because I think it really could have added so much depth and intensity to the bleak future that is expected for magic-born. I liked the fact that Nate could care less about those with magic abilities. I liked that his morals and conscious kept him following the murder investigation, despite the fact that he was told to drop it.
Another aspect that seemed to fall somewhat flat for me was the murder investigation. While it seemed interesting at first, it seemed to kind of run out of steam as the book went on. It became somewhat predictable and while I could appreciate the way it all worked out, it just didn’t work for me because I thought that plot thread had the ability to be so much more.
All in all I really enjoyed Clark’s world, and hope that she takes the time to explore it deeper, flush out more of the injustices and work toward creating a better way of life for the magic born. While I also liked both our hero and heroine, I wish that their romance would have had more chemistry, more development.
I give Trancehack a C+
As I was reading this month’s Dear Reader letter in the front of every Carina Press book, I came across Angela James’ description for this book and was immediately hooked. The different world that sounded so unique was enough to pull me in and send me to NetGalley, looking for this book.
Calla has unique magical abilities: she can manipulate any kind of technology. It’s the kind of skill that will make her an outcast among her fellow witches, so she keeps it as secret as possible. When Normal Detective Perez comes snooping around the zone looking for information on a murder, Calla finds herself drawn to him – in ways she never imagined she would feel about a non Magic-born.
Nate is new to the city and the zone. Being put on a murder investigation that is all kinds of screwed up is stressful. Having to go into the zone to search for clues is even more so, until he meets Calla. Nate doesn’t care about magic or not, and although he needs Calla’s help to solve the murder, he is also captivated by her. But as the secrets of the investigation unfold, a conspiracy involving Calla, a Senator, and an innocent man will come crashing down around them.
Let me just start by saying this book has one of the coolest worlds I’ve ever read in paranormal romance. I love the fact that the world is totally screwed up, that the “normal” humans have rounded up all of those with magical abilities and thrown them into urban slums, gating them off and treating them like cattle. They have extra laws they have to live by, are stripped of their basic rights, and are forced to live as sub-humans. I hope that this will continue as a series, and at the end of it, the witches have their own uprising! :)
For me, there was a lot of really awesome world-building in this book, but the romance fell horribly flat. I never really felt the connection between Nate and Calla. Other than some sex, these two didn’t really seem to have any chemistry. Calla was constantly fretting over the fact that Nate was normal and they wouldn’t be able to have a future. She let it interfere with everything, and because of it I never really felt like she took the time to get to know or care about Nate as a man. Likewise, Nate was so wrapped up in solving the case and convincing Calla that they could find a way to be together, there wasn’t time for anything else. I felt like they never really wholly committed to each other, instead they just kind of settled for what it was.
As individual characters, I like Nate and Calla. I thought they both had a lot of promise. I liked finding out about the work that Calla was putting in to help magic-born and normals alike get out from underneath the stringent and oppressive laws. I wish that aspect of the world would have been explored more, because I think it really could have added so much depth and intensity to the bleak future that is expected for magic-born. I liked the fact that Nate could care less about those with magic abilities. I liked that his morals and conscious kept him following the murder investigation, despite the fact that he was told to drop it.
Another aspect that seemed to fall somewhat flat for me was the murder investigation. While it seemed interesting at first, it seemed to kind of run out of steam as the book went on. It became somewhat predictable and while I could appreciate the way it all worked out, it just didn’t work for me because I thought that plot thread had the ability to be so much more.
All in all I really enjoyed Clark’s world, and hope that she takes the time to explore it deeper, flush out more of the injustices and work toward creating a better way of life for the magic born. While I also liked both our hero and heroine, I wish that their romance would have had more chemistry, more development.
I give Trancehack a C+
October 25, 2013
Trancehack. Sonya Clark
I loved Sonya's Mojo Queen and Red House so looked forward to reading this. I was a bit concerned over the world setting. Its reminded me a bit of the way the Psy-net works in Nalini Singh novels, and though I love and count her Angels works among my favourites I struggle with the Psy ones. I needn't have worried though, the Net part of things here is an essential part but doesn't dominate the novel. And even as a real Tech Nerd I could follow how things worked and what Calla was doing.
So about the characters, Calla, I loved her from the start. A real independent and strong woman on the surface, she's far more underneath, and along with club owner Vadim (?) and some other volunteers she ran an underground dangerous rescue mission. Its a horrific world – again reminded me of another novel, The Chysalids which I read and loved at school. Its the way in this novel those with magic, different and therefore deemed dangerous, were isolated from their families and from society in general, having to live and survive on the outskirts (the Fringes from what I recall of the Chysalids) with no rights to vote, mix with normals, own things, marry etc. Normals having children testing positive for Magic via DNA tests had to give the baby up. Then there's Nate, the Normal policeman, who's been brought up to dislike Magicborns, through a family history tragedy. He's a great guy, I love his lines “that's detective as-shole to you”.... and he's so genuine. Despite his upbringing and parents t Nate is a decent character, learning things all the while from his recent move to the city, and seeing Magicborn people for the first time at close quarters. Nate is a fair man but naive, and when he's put on the track of a murderer he gets suspicions that shake some of his long held beliefs. Add to that the attraction he feels for Calla, that grows as the novel progresses, and the futility of it just because she's Magic born he starts questioning things. And that dangerous – very dangerous for him....
Its a terrific read, very different world, with Magic users, Normals, criminal and political manoeuvrings, love and danger. I really felt for the Magicborns, the people caught up in the unfairness. Its seems its a US based thing thus leading to a sort of resistance movement being formed to help people get to other more welcoming countries. The romance too was really well done, sensual and erotic in the right parts but not overtaking the storyline as so often happens. Just the right balance of sex and story for me.
Vadim – I really hope Sonya plans this as a series, and there's more from him. He's got the sort of mystery feel about him that makes him a natural leader, and I’m sure he's strong enough to take a greater role in the next book. I'd like to know more too about how Calla and Nate work things out, what happens after the resolution and reveals we got at the end of this book. Its not a cliffhanger thank goodness – I so HATE those, and the story ends properly but isn't completely finished – there's bits left open that whet my curiosity to know more. The world building is certainly strong enough to carry lots more from these and new characters. Please Sonya :)
Priced at £1.91 for 231 pages, 89,000 words, its a bargain and will sustain re reading especially if its going to be a series :) I also like it that word count is included, sometimes books appear to be 300-400 pages and yet are a quick read, and if word count was given would be only 60-70,000. Word count is a good, fair way for readers to judge, rather than page count which is format dependent. Thanks Sonya or publishers, whichever decided to include it.
NB: ARC supplied via Netgalley.
Stars: five, great read and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved Sonya's Mojo Queen and Red House so looked forward to reading this. I was a bit concerned over the world setting. Its reminded me a bit of the way the Psy-net works in Nalini Singh novels, and though I love and count her Angels works among my favourites I struggle with the Psy ones. I needn't have worried though, the Net part of things here is an essential part but doesn't dominate the novel. And even as a real Tech Nerd I could follow how things worked and what Calla was doing.
So about the characters, Calla, I loved her from the start. A real independent and strong woman on the surface, she's far more underneath, and along with club owner Vadim (?) and some other volunteers she ran an underground dangerous rescue mission. Its a horrific world – again reminded me of another novel, The Chysalids which I read and loved at school. Its the way in this novel those with magic, different and therefore deemed dangerous, were isolated from their families and from society in general, having to live and survive on the outskirts (the Fringes from what I recall of the Chysalids) with no rights to vote, mix with normals, own things, marry etc. Normals having children testing positive for Magic via DNA tests had to give the baby up. Then there's Nate, the Normal policeman, who's been brought up to dislike Magicborns, through a family history tragedy. He's a great guy, I love his lines “that's detective as-shole to you”.... and he's so genuine. Despite his upbringing and parents t Nate is a decent character, learning things all the while from his recent move to the city, and seeing Magicborn people for the first time at close quarters. Nate is a fair man but naive, and when he's put on the track of a murderer he gets suspicions that shake some of his long held beliefs. Add to that the attraction he feels for Calla, that grows as the novel progresses, and the futility of it just because she's Magic born he starts questioning things. And that dangerous – very dangerous for him....
Its a terrific read, very different world, with Magic users, Normals, criminal and political manoeuvrings, love and danger. I really felt for the Magicborns, the people caught up in the unfairness. Its seems its a US based thing thus leading to a sort of resistance movement being formed to help people get to other more welcoming countries. The romance too was really well done, sensual and erotic in the right parts but not overtaking the storyline as so often happens. Just the right balance of sex and story for me.
Vadim – I really hope Sonya plans this as a series, and there's more from him. He's got the sort of mystery feel about him that makes him a natural leader, and I’m sure he's strong enough to take a greater role in the next book. I'd like to know more too about how Calla and Nate work things out, what happens after the resolution and reveals we got at the end of this book. Its not a cliffhanger thank goodness – I so HATE those, and the story ends properly but isn't completely finished – there's bits left open that whet my curiosity to know more. The world building is certainly strong enough to carry lots more from these and new characters. Please Sonya :)
Priced at £1.91 for 231 pages, 89,000 words, its a bargain and will sustain re reading especially if its going to be a series :) I also like it that word count is included, sometimes books appear to be 300-400 pages and yet are a quick read, and if word count was given would be only 60-70,000. Word count is a good, fair way for readers to judge, rather than page count which is format dependent. Thanks Sonya or publishers, whichever decided to include it.
NB: ARC supplied via Netgalley.
Stars: five, great read and thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 17, 2014
Really 4.5 Stars
FTC : I requested this book from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. I have no relationship with the author.
After reading the Mojo Queen a few years ago, I knew I liked Sonya Clark’s writing. After seeing this one was published by Carina I decided that this was a book I needed to read. The premise is so intriguing, so different to anything that I have read before that I was excited. I wasn’t disappointed and devoured this as fast as I could.
The premise of the book is simple; those that have magic are segregated from birth (yes, they are tested that young) and put into zones. In these zones, there is no rights, and a hell of a lot of external oppression, but the people that live there have managed to create a community. It is into this (hostile) community that Nate has to go following a murder of a high profile scientist and it is on this case that he meets Calla. Once they meet, we are taken on a tale of sex and intrigue in a city of magic and persecution. It is very different and very good.
The relationship between Calla and Nate is the main plot thread and it is both happy and sad. It was lovely to watch them fall in love (they are both very likeable characters) but it was quite upsetting to see them believe their relationship would be doomed because of Calla’s magic status. They couldn’t stay the night together (Calla wasn’t allowed out of the zone for more than 18 hours), they couldn’t go on dates (Calla wasn’t allowed in most restaurants) and, if he chose to stay in the zone with her, Nate would lose everything. It was a lot to give up for one person and I agreed with them; it did seem hopeless. I wanted them together so badly but I couldn’t see anything but resentment in their future if they stayed together.
As characters, Cella and Nate bring different things to the table. I liked the contrast of Nate's naivety and Cella's cynicism when it came to the way that the world worked. Their life experiences have shaped the way that they see things and I enjoyed the way that they brought a balance to each other. They matched well and I could only hope that they could find a way but, bar a destruction of the entire infrastructure of the world, I didn’t see that happening. The chemistry between them is intense which made it even harder to watch them on their journey as I knew that, for them to have a HEA, it was more than likely that someone would have to make huge sacrifices.
The world that this book is set in was the main draw for me and my only complaint is that we didn’t learn that much about it. As a reader, I felt that I only got a brief snapshot of the complexities of it and the different layers that made it unique. I’m glad this is a series book as I know I will gradually learn more. I also wanted to see a bit more of Cella’s powers! The suspense plot is fabulous and I didn’t see any of the plot twists coming.
This is a gritty romantic suspense set in a dystopian world where external forces conspire to keep our romantic couple apart. With magic and intrigue aplenty, this is one I recommend for dystopian fans.
FTC : I requested this book from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. I have no relationship with the author.
After reading the Mojo Queen a few years ago, I knew I liked Sonya Clark’s writing. After seeing this one was published by Carina I decided that this was a book I needed to read. The premise is so intriguing, so different to anything that I have read before that I was excited. I wasn’t disappointed and devoured this as fast as I could.
The premise of the book is simple; those that have magic are segregated from birth (yes, they are tested that young) and put into zones. In these zones, there is no rights, and a hell of a lot of external oppression, but the people that live there have managed to create a community. It is into this (hostile) community that Nate has to go following a murder of a high profile scientist and it is on this case that he meets Calla. Once they meet, we are taken on a tale of sex and intrigue in a city of magic and persecution. It is very different and very good.
The relationship between Calla and Nate is the main plot thread and it is both happy and sad. It was lovely to watch them fall in love (they are both very likeable characters) but it was quite upsetting to see them believe their relationship would be doomed because of Calla’s magic status. They couldn’t stay the night together (Calla wasn’t allowed out of the zone for more than 18 hours), they couldn’t go on dates (Calla wasn’t allowed in most restaurants) and, if he chose to stay in the zone with her, Nate would lose everything. It was a lot to give up for one person and I agreed with them; it did seem hopeless. I wanted them together so badly but I couldn’t see anything but resentment in their future if they stayed together.
As characters, Cella and Nate bring different things to the table. I liked the contrast of Nate's naivety and Cella's cynicism when it came to the way that the world worked. Their life experiences have shaped the way that they see things and I enjoyed the way that they brought a balance to each other. They matched well and I could only hope that they could find a way but, bar a destruction of the entire infrastructure of the world, I didn’t see that happening. The chemistry between them is intense which made it even harder to watch them on their journey as I knew that, for them to have a HEA, it was more than likely that someone would have to make huge sacrifices.
The world that this book is set in was the main draw for me and my only complaint is that we didn’t learn that much about it. As a reader, I felt that I only got a brief snapshot of the complexities of it and the different layers that made it unique. I’m glad this is a series book as I know I will gradually learn more. I also wanted to see a bit more of Cella’s powers! The suspense plot is fabulous and I didn’t see any of the plot twists coming.
This is a gritty romantic suspense set in a dystopian world where external forces conspire to keep our romantic couple apart. With magic and intrigue aplenty, this is one I recommend for dystopian fans.
October 11, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Carina and Netgalley.)
Nate is a detective investigating the death of a prominent figure, when a DNA test on some evidence comes back as belonging to an unregistered ‘magic-born’, which by the law should be impossible.
Nate asks Calla – a witch, for some help tracking down information based on a list of magical ingredients found in the victim’s pocket.
When people who knew about the odd DNA test start turning up dead, Calla is worried that Nate might be next, which scares her as they are falling in love with each other.
Who is the murderer? Why did they kill? And what other secrets are they hiding?
This was an okay story, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.
Calla was an okay character. She stuck up for her beliefs and her rights, and wasn’t stupid enough to break the law for a man. She did her best to look out for herself, and wasn’t afraid to speak out when the time was right.
The storyline in this was okay, but at times this was much more a crime novel than a fantasy or sci-fi story. I found the beginning of the book very slow and dull, and I even wondered whether I would make it all the way through without falling asleep. Thankfully the story got more interesting at the 20% mark, but I still found myself losing interest at later points in the book too.
There was romance in this book, and some very adult sex scenes, which was probably the best part of the book for me. This book isn’t listed as ‘adult’ on Goodreads though, and I think it should be, as this is definitely not intended for younger readers.
The ending was okay, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. This wasn’t a favourite for me though, and I don’t think I’ll continue with the series. I thing this would be more suited to people who like crime/fantasy, rather than people who just like fantasy and paranormal stories.
Overall; an okay crime/fantasy novel, but wasn’t what I was expecting.
6.5 out of 10.
Nate is a detective investigating the death of a prominent figure, when a DNA test on some evidence comes back as belonging to an unregistered ‘magic-born’, which by the law should be impossible.
Nate asks Calla – a witch, for some help tracking down information based on a list of magical ingredients found in the victim’s pocket.
When people who knew about the odd DNA test start turning up dead, Calla is worried that Nate might be next, which scares her as they are falling in love with each other.
Who is the murderer? Why did they kill? And what other secrets are they hiding?
This was an okay story, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.
Calla was an okay character. She stuck up for her beliefs and her rights, and wasn’t stupid enough to break the law for a man. She did her best to look out for herself, and wasn’t afraid to speak out when the time was right.
The storyline in this was okay, but at times this was much more a crime novel than a fantasy or sci-fi story. I found the beginning of the book very slow and dull, and I even wondered whether I would make it all the way through without falling asleep. Thankfully the story got more interesting at the 20% mark, but I still found myself losing interest at later points in the book too.
There was romance in this book, and some very adult sex scenes, which was probably the best part of the book for me. This book isn’t listed as ‘adult’ on Goodreads though, and I think it should be, as this is definitely not intended for younger readers.
The ending was okay, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. This wasn’t a favourite for me though, and I don’t think I’ll continue with the series. I thing this would be more suited to people who like crime/fantasy, rather than people who just like fantasy and paranormal stories.
Overall; an okay crime/fantasy novel, but wasn’t what I was expecting.
6.5 out of 10.
November 22, 2013
I started out not too sure how I felt about the characters or the world that TRANCEHACK took place in only to end the book hoping that book 2 was close on the horizon.
In the world that Sonya Clark has created the Magic Born are second class citizens and treated like dirt. They are forced to live in government-run zones with no rights or freedoms. They test babies and if they are found to be Magic Born their parents abandon them or they are taken away to be raised in these zones. TRANCEHACK follows the POVs of two characters. Calla Vesper is Magic Born and was given up as a baby. She makes money by selling her crafted jewelry and using her magic to break into computers. When she encounters Nathan she sees him as just another police officer that doesn't belong in her world and is just there to cause trouble. She wants nothing to do with him or his investigation. Detective Nathan Perez is investigating the death of a well-respected doctor. His investigation brings him to the zone and he admits not knowing anything about the magic born or what they can do. It's also clear from the start that he is different from the other normals with his treatment towards the magic born. When he sees Calla he stops at nothing to get her to help him in his investigation and refuses to stop pursuing her even though they're from different worlds.
Although the relationship between Calla and Nathan is a big part of the book I felt the world itself was just SO fascinating and drove the story. Sonya did a great job with explaining details without drawing everything out. The world holds so much potential and I couldn't get enough of it. I have so many questions! Will Nathan and Calla continue to lead us through future books? Will the Magic Born stage and uprising? Will the family developments that came to light continue to develop? I will have to find out by reading Magic Born #2.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In the world that Sonya Clark has created the Magic Born are second class citizens and treated like dirt. They are forced to live in government-run zones with no rights or freedoms. They test babies and if they are found to be Magic Born their parents abandon them or they are taken away to be raised in these zones. TRANCEHACK follows the POVs of two characters. Calla Vesper is Magic Born and was given up as a baby. She makes money by selling her crafted jewelry and using her magic to break into computers. When she encounters Nathan she sees him as just another police officer that doesn't belong in her world and is just there to cause trouble. She wants nothing to do with him or his investigation. Detective Nathan Perez is investigating the death of a well-respected doctor. His investigation brings him to the zone and he admits not knowing anything about the magic born or what they can do. It's also clear from the start that he is different from the other normals with his treatment towards the magic born. When he sees Calla he stops at nothing to get her to help him in his investigation and refuses to stop pursuing her even though they're from different worlds.
Although the relationship between Calla and Nathan is a big part of the book I felt the world itself was just SO fascinating and drove the story. Sonya did a great job with explaining details without drawing everything out. The world holds so much potential and I couldn't get enough of it. I have so many questions! Will Nathan and Calla continue to lead us through future books? Will the Magic Born stage and uprising? Will the family developments that came to light continue to develop? I will have to find out by reading Magic Born #2.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2014
I received this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
If you have an inner geek like me then you will love this story. If you like the supernatural, then you will love this story. If you like science fiction of the technology kind you will love this story.
The first thing that caught my attention was the cover, very bright and eye catching then I decided to read the blurb and see that it was about. Now I am really intrigued. And the final straw was the excerpt that was attached. I was immediately hooked and sad when there was no more to read. I knew that I needed to have this book so I could continue to read.
What I loved the most was there was no dragging out the story like. It starts right off with meeting one of the main characters right at work in a case and while working said case he meets his girl which at the time he wasn’t so sure would be his.
Tracehack is different; this story introduces something from the past like racisms for something not exactly understood and segregation. There is politics, crime, drama and love/lust. That is something that captivated me besides being a paranormal story, which I love.
While the story is not action pack it has its drama and a bit of suspense. Who killed him and why? And that is a question that never gets answers until then end. While the ending doesn’t come to a shock after reading the story the getting there is worth it.
Tracehack is definitely one of my top fifteen of the year so far. Who doesn’t like witches but witches with other powers than what we know of, now that is wicked.
Trancehack gets a three olives and stars for a good and very entertaining read. I would definitely read book two once it comes out and see where the story with so much potential goes.
If you have an inner geek like me then you will love this story. If you like the supernatural, then you will love this story. If you like science fiction of the technology kind you will love this story.
The first thing that caught my attention was the cover, very bright and eye catching then I decided to read the blurb and see that it was about. Now I am really intrigued. And the final straw was the excerpt that was attached. I was immediately hooked and sad when there was no more to read. I knew that I needed to have this book so I could continue to read.
What I loved the most was there was no dragging out the story like. It starts right off with meeting one of the main characters right at work in a case and while working said case he meets his girl which at the time he wasn’t so sure would be his.
Tracehack is different; this story introduces something from the past like racisms for something not exactly understood and segregation. There is politics, crime, drama and love/lust. That is something that captivated me besides being a paranormal story, which I love.
While the story is not action pack it has its drama and a bit of suspense. Who killed him and why? And that is a question that never gets answers until then end. While the ending doesn’t come to a shock after reading the story the getting there is worth it.
Tracehack is definitely one of my top fifteen of the year so far. Who doesn’t like witches but witches with other powers than what we know of, now that is wicked.
Trancehack gets a three olives and stars for a good and very entertaining read. I would definitely read book two once it comes out and see where the story with so much potential goes.
May 7, 2014
I've been a fan of Sonya Clark for a while now - I think I read Mojo Queen and Red House in a couple of days. So it was hardly surprising that I'd pick up Trancehack as well - it might have taken me a few months to get to it, but I'm glad I did!
The book follows a cool idea, where those with magical abilities (the Magic Born) are segregated away from society and treated like dirt, until a murder among the upper echelons of the "Normals" forces cop Nate to conduct his investigation among the Magic Born of zone 13, AKA FreakTown, where he meets local witch Calla. Calla has the ability to command electrical magic, and is the trancehacker of the title. The blending of the magic and technology is a neat idea - it brings together considerations of nature among the urban landscape that I think are really 'topical' in contemporary times. Calla is a fiery character, frosty at first but likeable by the end, while Nate is one of those male leads you just wish you could meet in person. Do guys like him really exist? I hope so.
As with her other books, Sonya's writing is fast-paced and doesn't let up, taking you through the delights of the FreakTown club, Sinsuality, and pounding the grey utilitarian streets of the city. She perfectly captures that balance of futuristic and natural, while the gritty sense of segregation gives the book a post-apocalyptic feel, while also blending in a romantic sub plot and a police procedural storyline. It's a lot of story for your money! The secondary characters are just as interesting, particularly club owner Vadim, although I warmed to Detective Mullins as a fatherly Danny Glover type of character.
I thoroughly enjoyed Trancehack, and I can't wait to read book two, Witchlight!
The book follows a cool idea, where those with magical abilities (the Magic Born) are segregated away from society and treated like dirt, until a murder among the upper echelons of the "Normals" forces cop Nate to conduct his investigation among the Magic Born of zone 13, AKA FreakTown, where he meets local witch Calla. Calla has the ability to command electrical magic, and is the trancehacker of the title. The blending of the magic and technology is a neat idea - it brings together considerations of nature among the urban landscape that I think are really 'topical' in contemporary times. Calla is a fiery character, frosty at first but likeable by the end, while Nate is one of those male leads you just wish you could meet in person. Do guys like him really exist? I hope so.
As with her other books, Sonya's writing is fast-paced and doesn't let up, taking you through the delights of the FreakTown club, Sinsuality, and pounding the grey utilitarian streets of the city. She perfectly captures that balance of futuristic and natural, while the gritty sense of segregation gives the book a post-apocalyptic feel, while also blending in a romantic sub plot and a police procedural storyline. It's a lot of story for your money! The secondary characters are just as interesting, particularly club owner Vadim, although I warmed to Detective Mullins as a fatherly Danny Glover type of character.
I thoroughly enjoyed Trancehack, and I can't wait to read book two, Witchlight!
April 4, 2014
I thought the world building done here was vivid and spirit crushing! Imagine a holocaust, a dehumanizing not based on pigment or religion, but on your blood containing DNA with magic strands. That's the world Sonya Clark presents in "Trancehack," an urban fantasy, mystery, romance.
It was a slow start for me -not with the hero, but with the heroine. Calla slowly revealed herself to me. It took me awhile to empathize with her. But once she cast her first spell and hacked into the internet on stolen wifi, I was all in! There's been a murder. The suspect? A non-registered Magic Born, which is impossible because all Magic Born are cataloged from birth. Detective Nate Perez is on the case and his heart is immediately attracted to Calla, which is another impossibility because Normals and Magic Born can't have any type of legitimate relationship. But Nate's not hearing any of that as he woos Calla while gathering clues.
Now mystery is not my thing. I don't have the patience to pay attention to the laying of clues. I don't like how everything is revealed in a big info dump at the end. But I stuck with this because this witchy world and Calla's ability to hack the Net with witchcraft was just way too cool!
Although not a page-turner, the writing is clean and keeps the pages turning. Both hero and heroine are likable and engaging. We're heavily into the Nate's POV for most of the book. The love story is a slow build, but ultimately satisfying. Though the world is engaging, I was confused about everyone else's magic. And I'm not truly certain of exactly what happened with the solving of the murder. But I still enjoyed myself.
It was a slow start for me -not with the hero, but with the heroine. Calla slowly revealed herself to me. It took me awhile to empathize with her. But once she cast her first spell and hacked into the internet on stolen wifi, I was all in! There's been a murder. The suspect? A non-registered Magic Born, which is impossible because all Magic Born are cataloged from birth. Detective Nate Perez is on the case and his heart is immediately attracted to Calla, which is another impossibility because Normals and Magic Born can't have any type of legitimate relationship. But Nate's not hearing any of that as he woos Calla while gathering clues.
Now mystery is not my thing. I don't have the patience to pay attention to the laying of clues. I don't like how everything is revealed in a big info dump at the end. But I stuck with this because this witchy world and Calla's ability to hack the Net with witchcraft was just way too cool!
Although not a page-turner, the writing is clean and keeps the pages turning. Both hero and heroine are likable and engaging. We're heavily into the Nate's POV for most of the book. The love story is a slow build, but ultimately satisfying. Though the world is engaging, I was confused about everyone else's magic. And I'm not truly certain of exactly what happened with the solving of the murder. But I still enjoyed myself.
December 12, 2014
The world building and lore in this book really blew me away. It was like entering an alternate universe where so much was different, yet so much was still sort of the same. Magic users exist, and most of the Normals are afraid of them. So they have been rounded up into what is basically several ghettos. They are only allowed to leave for so long and their ability to live like the rest of the world is extremely limited.
Calla grew up in Zone 13. She's fairly happy there and was content to live her life making jewelry and occasionally hacking into the web to find out what was going on. But then Detective Asshole had to show up and she was drawn into something larger than either of them expected. Calla is hiding a lot of secrets, so this was bad bad news for her and some of her friends. But Nathan was fascinated by the girl and felt he just had to get to know her better.
There was a lot of excitement in this one. It was almost like a dash of suspense and sci-fi technology was thrown in small enough doses that it didn't take too much away from the paranormal aspect. The mystery they are investigating was very engaging and there were a couple characters from Zone 13 that you get to know fairly well and I really liked them. There was quite a twist at the end and I was surprised at the resolution, but it did feel a bit like the author wasn't sure how to wrap it up and had forced herself into a corner with no other options. But then that was how one of the characters felt as well so maybe it was intentional.
I'm interested to see where the series goes next. The world has so much potential to get very exciting.
Calla grew up in Zone 13. She's fairly happy there and was content to live her life making jewelry and occasionally hacking into the web to find out what was going on. But then Detective Asshole had to show up and she was drawn into something larger than either of them expected. Calla is hiding a lot of secrets, so this was bad bad news for her and some of her friends. But Nathan was fascinated by the girl and felt he just had to get to know her better.
There was a lot of excitement in this one. It was almost like a dash of suspense and sci-fi technology was thrown in small enough doses that it didn't take too much away from the paranormal aspect. The mystery they are investigating was very engaging and there were a couple characters from Zone 13 that you get to know fairly well and I really liked them. There was quite a twist at the end and I was surprised at the resolution, but it did feel a bit like the author wasn't sure how to wrap it up and had forced herself into a corner with no other options. But then that was how one of the characters felt as well so maybe it was intentional.
I'm interested to see where the series goes next. The world has so much potential to get very exciting.
January 21, 2014
I loved Calla and Nate and their romance. They had just the right chemistry to keep me turning the pages. However, the setting of this book - the dystopian world - is what really hooked me. Magicborn people are forced to live in a highly regulated Zone - stripped of their rights as citizens and despised by the Normals. All babies born in America are tested for the Magic gene and if they have it, they are placed in a Zone. This creates an atmosphere ripe for rebellion both from inside the Zone and outside it as well.
Trancehack follows Nate and Calla as they attempt to solve the murder of a prominent doctor. The secrets and deceptions they uncover show them both that their worldviews must change and evolve.
I can't wait for the second in this series.
Trancehack follows Nate and Calla as they attempt to solve the murder of a prominent doctor. The secrets and deceptions they uncover show them both that their worldviews must change and evolve.
I can't wait for the second in this series.
February 7, 2014
1/11:This book has been good, so far. It has been engaging and interesting from the beginning. Both of the main characters, Nate and Calla, are easy to relate to for different reasons. No, the hows and whys of the built-world that Ms. Clark has made up have not been explained. That's not a problem for me, as I don't need a "history" lesson and am not likely to remember it anyway. I look forward to finishing this as soon as I catch up on some other ARCs this weekend!
2/7: nice, somewhat open ended ending! I like how the storyline was tied up neatly, but it's obvious there's still more "work" to be done in this world.
2/7: nice, somewhat open ended ending! I like how the storyline was tied up neatly, but it's obvious there's still more "work" to be done in this world.
October 10, 2014
Wow! I won this book and, I’ll be frank, hated the cover. So it sat unread. My mistake. See, I really SHOULDN’T judge a book by its cover, because the book was great. I had a hard time putting it down. It read more like a romantic suspense/thriller than a paranormal romance, which is fine with me. I’d hate to think we’d be so cruel in the future by segregating people again, but it made for an entertaining read. I just wish my e-book wasn’t all funky. The lines were too close together and every time I shut my device down, it never saved my spot. Even with these annoyances, I kept reading. Just had to know what happened next!
January 17, 2016
I like the magic system in this. The segregation between magic users and non is interesting.
It's somewhat graphic in the love scenes, just an fyi.
I found myself skimming a lot; too much background info in some cases. However, I really liked the main character. 3 stars because around the middle it started to get 'meh' for me and I really skimmed ahead and didn't feel like I missed anything. I'd guessed the ending around then, and I kinda hate it when that happens.
However, I'm pretty sure there are some sci-fi folks who will LOVE this.
I liked it, but didn't love it.
It's somewhat graphic in the love scenes, just an fyi.
I found myself skimming a lot; too much background info in some cases. However, I really liked the main character. 3 stars because around the middle it started to get 'meh' for me and I really skimmed ahead and didn't feel like I missed anything. I'd guessed the ending around then, and I kinda hate it when that happens.
However, I'm pretty sure there are some sci-fi folks who will LOVE this.
I liked it, but didn't love it.
October 29, 2013
Loved the premise: a futuristic fantasy world where the Magic Born are identified at birth and sent to segregated magic zones. Talk about building in inherent conflict! The main characters, a cop and a witch, are initially at odds but soon involved in a hot romance. Calla is bold and passionate, Nate is strong and steady--very swoon-worthy.
Quibble: It took Calla and Nate ages to figure out one of the plot points.
Fave line: "Trying to make me jealous, calling some other guy a**hole."
Quibble: It took Calla and Nate ages to figure out one of the plot points.
Fave line: "Trying to make me jealous, calling some other guy a**hole."
December 7, 2015
The more I think about it, the more nit-picky I feel about it. Kind of an interesting set up that I don't think was utilized as well as it could have been. Big reveal was obvious really early, so spent the book just waiting for the story to get around to making it official. In light of current events, the internment camp stuff was awkward.
July 30, 2014
Really well balanced, skillfully worldbuilt "science fantasy" romance, which I enjoyed for its uniqueness. It's not strictly SF or strictly PNR but a cross in between, introducing a fascinating world. The romance between the hero and heroine also took place at a believable pace. Recommended!
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